


Through the fire

by Kalisca



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alternate Universe - Firefighters, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cullrian Appreciation Week, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-03
Updated: 2016-05-03
Packaged: 2018-06-06 04:47:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6738742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalisca/pseuds/Kalisca
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>“Pavus!” Cullen followed him upstairs.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“We have no time to argue, Rutherford. If I can save his life, I’ll try anything.”</i>
</p><p>  <i>“If you go on the roof, you’ll get stuck there in about a minute. We have to evacuate.”</i></p><p>  <i>“Really?” Dorian raised a brow at Cullen. “You haven’t been around many creative mages if you think this is my only way down.”</i></p><p>  <i>Despite his confident words, he was gripping the ramp so hard it was hurting, but his feet continued to climb the stairs.</i></p><p>  <i>“What do you- Oh.” Cullen’s steps faltered, but then he was hot on his heels. “Then I can’t let you do this alone.”</i></p><p>--</p><p>Dorian is a psychologist specialized in mages sent to Kirkwall to help with the high rate of magical started fires. The firefighters he’s teamed to are pretty easy to get along with, except for Captain Rutherford.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Through the fire

**Author's Note:**

> This is my contribution to the Cullrian Appreciation Week! I took a lot of liberties with this AU. I did a massive research of firefighting, but I'm still not an expert, so there's probably many errors in there. Same thing goes for the psychology part of this story, everything Dorian says or thinks comes from a bit of research but mostly my own common sense.
> 
> I really enjoyed writing this, so I hope you'll enjoy reading it!

Sirens blasted through the fire station. Dorian looked up, his cup of chai tea halfway to his mouth. It took his colleagues scrambling to their feet for him to follow suit, running after them with a pounding heart. They had about 60 seconds to get changed into their uniform before stepping into the truck, and Dorian would not be left behind.

Dorian bumped into Cullen as he made his way inside, landing on the edge of his seat, and the taller man sat down beside him with a scowl. Ever since his first step in the station, he’d been showing his dislike of a mage being in his firefighters’ team. Him and Delrin were both ex-Templars specialized to stop magical started fires, and they both had been wary of him. The captain didn’t trust mages, for whatever reason, despite Dorian doing nothing for him to be wary of him.

Dorian wasn’t trained to be a firefighter, he was a Mage Psychologist when someone from the Chantry had called his superior, Vivienne, for help in Kirkwall. The city was clustered with troublesome mages because of the tight vice the Chantry was operating in the city, turning everything to boiling oil threatening to explode at any given moment. It was with a bit of surprise that Vivienne actually recommended him, they were often butting heads with their difference of opinions, but he was proved to be successful at what he was doing. The major problem had been magical-created fires, and Kirkwall didn’t know how to deal with them other than having Templars using a Smite them and putting them in psychiatric wards where they wouldn’t be helped, but turned harmless – and cause major aftereffects in the process.

Perhaps it was the idea of a new challenge, or his unhappiness despite loving the research he was doing, but Dorian had accepted. He packed his bags in his luxurious apartment in Val Royeaux and moved in a quite beautiful place in Hightown of Kirkwall. The rich clearly lived off the poor in this city, was Dorian’s first observation.

His second was that things would be difficult when the Templars of the firefighter team he was assigned to were assholes to him the very second they met. Obviously his addition unnerved him to say the least. Dorian wouldn’t have minded much if it wasn’t for the fact that one of them was also his Captain. Dorian had to be given a very summarized formation on being a firefighter, just so following them for calls wasn’t a threat to his life, and it had been Carver Hawke, another fireman with large biceps and impossibly blue eyes, who gave it to him because the Captain claimed he had other things to do. Apparently he was one of those Templars who thought all mages were worth nothing, especially Tevinter ones. Perhaps that was the reason Kirkwall was in this precarious position, then.

“The fire is on the sixth floor of an apartment block. Apparently the mage started it out of anger while he was arguing with a friend, but he isn’t registered to any Circle.”

“An apostate,” Rylen groaned.

“A Dalish.” None of their mages were registered as they didn’t go to the Circle schools, which meant their complete freedom, but also lots of problems when came the time they needed help from Chantry-led organizations.  
It was his first time ever accompanying the firefighters on a call, and it wasn’t his own skills he was doubting, but how he would collaborate with his colleagues.

They quickly arrived on the site, and everyone put on their gas mask as they stepped out. Dorian struggled with his gas mask, the elastic strap too tight around his head, but suddenly Cassandra was there and loosing it up for him.

“Thanks,” he said through the mask, idly thinking he sounded like Darth Vader.

“Nervous?” They hadn’t talked to each other a lot during the day, but in the depth of her serious eyes, Dorian saw that she cared.

“It’ll be my first time going in a fire instead of running away from one, so yes, I am a bit nervous.”

Cassandra nodded. “It is normal. Follow us and everything will be fine.”

“I hope so."

The fire had started on the sixth floor of a height-floor building that wasn’t even fire resistant, and magic had pushed it to spread much more quickly than a regular one, already reaching the upper floors. Most of its residents were outside, gathered close as they were watching in almost fascination. Dorian understood the feeling, as it was truly a mesmerizing sight. He unconsciously clutched his PASS device installed on his belt as he stared, telling himself everything would be fine and that he would not die by his own magic specialization. Not that any of his comrade knew of that last detail, thank you very much.

“Alright Dorian. You’ll go in with Cullen and Cassandra. The mage is still up there, and residents are telling that they haven’t seen his boyfriend either,” Carver instructed him, blue eyes intent and setting him back to the situation at hand.

“Okay.” He turned to the two firefighters. Cullen assessed him, then made his way to the building in flames, Cassandra letting Dorian follow him before she closed in. There was no smoke in the lobby, but they slowly were immersed in it as they climbed the stairs. Dorian was puffing loudly, more from the nerves than anything else, but he stayed on the others’ heels as they moved to every apartment to make sure no one was left behind.

“Carver, in which apartment did the fire start?” Cullen asked through their communication device. Carver was sort of the head of operations, working at a bit of a distance to make sure everything was going smoothly.

“6B, some neighbors said. That’s where the mage lives.”

“Alright, we’re almost there.”

“The door’s closed, there will be a lot of smoke,” Cassandra told more to Dorian who nodded. With a swift kick, she broke the doorknob and opened the door. Inside, it was almost impossible to see with how thick the smoke was.

“We need a vacuum,” Cullen stated. It was a slang for a tunnel of air to evacuate the smoke.

“There’s probably a window somewhere.”

Dorian’s sweaty back was clinging to the back of his uniform, turning him to an itchy mess, but he ignored it to search for a window through his almost blind state.

“Here!” His hand touched glass, ice cold even through his thick glove. The window didn’t have a latch to open, so Dorian stepped back.

“I’ll break it.”

Cullen strode beside him, looked outside to make sure the glass shards wouldn’t hurt anyone. “Alright, go ahead.”

It was the first time he was addressing him directly, a funny moment for a first thing to happen. He used Force to break it, and the vacuumed effect was almost immediate. Smoke was pushed outside while fresh air, inside, feeding the flames at the same time. But Dorian kept a spell on them to keep them steady, not willing to become charred any time soon.

“There’s someone unconscious.” Cassandra crouched beside a man on the floor, already shaking him. He groaned, his thick beard gone in some spots. He coughed, tears streaming down his face.

“Where’s the mage?” Cullen immediately asked, and Dorian threw him a sour look. He wasn’t the King of Tact, that was for sure.

“I don’t know, we had a fight and he… Maker, Kiliatus is probably up there, he always loved to look at the stars.”

“Cassandra, help him back outside.” He took his radio. “Carver, we’ll need assistance, the mage is on the roof.”

“There’s no time for that,” Dorian urged in an angry voice. He wouldn’t lose the first mage he was trying to help. He turned around and strode outside, heading for the staircase. He was stopped by a firm hand on his arm.

“You can’t get up there, the roof might collapse at any minute!” Cullen shouted at him through the roar of the fire that was invading the hall, but Dorian shook his head.

“Go outside, I’ll be fine,” he struggled out of the captain’s grip on him, stepping away.

“Pavus!” Cullen followed him upstairs.

“We have no time to argue, Rutherford. If I can save his life, I’ll try anything.”

“If you go on the roof, you’ll get stuck there in about a minute. We have to evacuate.”

“Really?” Dorian raised an eyebrow at Cullen. “You haven’t been around many creative mages if you think this is my only way down.”

Despite his confident words, he was gripping the ramp so hard it was hurting, but his feet continued to climb.

“What do you-.. Oh.” Cullen’s steps faltered, but then he was hot on his heels. “Then I can’t let you do this alone.”

“Suit yourself.”

“Captain, the net has been deployed. Do we need to prepare the elevator as well?” Carver announced through the noises. They were at the roof’s door, and Dorian emerged outside without waiting for his teammate. He barely heard him reply when he saw the man who had started the fire.

He was poised on himself, flames licking his body without harming him. Through the fire, Dorian couldn’t see the man’s face, but his anguish was noticeable in his position.

“Kiliatus?” He tentatively asked, not daring to move forward. He could still melt his firefighter gear right off him if Dorian wasn’t careful. He could hear his teammates talk on his radio, asking about him, so he simply turned it off. It was dangerous but necessary for this.

“Don’t come near me!” The elf said, flames going up and dancing all around him. “I don’t know how to stop this.”

“We can find a way together. My name is Dorian Pavus, I’m a mage just like you.”  
The door behind him barged open. Cullen didn’t take two looks at the scene before he was raising his fire extinctor, preparing to use it on the elf on fire. Dorian gripped Cullen’s wrist through the thick material of his vest before he could do that.

“Don’t. It’ll disorient him even more.”

“He needs to calm down, or he’ll burn a hole right through the floor.”

“And if you force the fire out, he might overreact and do worst. Let me try first.”  
It was hard to see Cullen’s expression with the mask, but his eyes shifted from Kiliatus to him, intense and hard. “Fine, but we do it my way if it takes too long.”

His way meant a well-aimed Purge and forcing Kiliatus to jump down on the net. Dorian turned around to the man in flames, as there was no time for an argument.

“What were you doing before this all happened, Kiliatus?”

It took the mage a moment to answer him, his arms wrapped tightly around him. What an unusual sight he was making, his electric blue hair a stark contrast through the red of the fire. “I was… I was watching the TV while waiting for my boyfriend to come back from work. He was late, as usual, and I was waiting on him to start dinner.” He groaned, flames flickering around him and portraying his anger. “Things got out of hand when he finally arrived. He wasn’t at work, he’d been at a friend’s… That fucker knows I love him, but he-…” His voice broke into a sob, and Dorian took another step.

“Burning everything down won’t change how you feel, sadly. Focus on your magic, not on your pain.”

“By the Dread Wolf, I can’t.” He fell on his knees, flames almost twice as tall as he was.

“Dorian…” Cullen went to make a move, but Dorian shot his arm back to stop him. He removed his helmet, then his gas mask. He had to be approachable.

“Don’t let him destroy your life.” He made quick work of his gloves and crouched in front of Kiliatus. “Trust me, I speak from experience.”

“What are you doing? You’ll get burned,” Kiliatus panicked when Dorian grabbed his hands.

“I won’t. My specialization is fire, so who else better than me could be here to assist you?”

  
Behind him, Cullen’s radio gritted, but Dorian paid it no attention. The barrier he was using on himself was difficult to maintain, and he had Kiliatus’ attention. The emotional response was normal if extreme, but keeping a spell this big for such a long time required a lot of mana, and either Kiliatus was a powerful mage, either he would soon be drained. Dorian couldn’t risk to wait to see whether of his theory was true.

“I can turn it off for you if you want, but I know you can do it on your own,” he spoke with his most confident voice.

“How?”

“Concentrate on your magic, focus on it. The rest will follow.”

Kiliatus took a deep breath, closing his eyes. His hands slowly relaxed as the fire diminished, until there was no more. Sweat was pouring down his face, but the elf looked calm for the first time.

“Thank you,” he said, and it was worth a lot to Dorian. Then Cullen stepped in and hauled them both on their feet, Dorian barely managing to retrieve his gear.

“We have no more time, let's go.”

He didn't talk to Dorian while Kiliatus was being taken care by the paramedics, not even to ask questions. Instead he congratulated the others for controlling the fire, then didn’t spare a look at Dorian when he climbed in the passengers seat of the truck to return to the station.

If this how he was reacting when Dorian was only doing his job, then fine. Dorian would write in his report how much of a success the operation had been despite the lack of cooperation of the Captain, and that’d be it.

They arrived in the middle of the afternoon, and while some didn't mind the smell of smoke, Dorian couldn't wait to wash it off. Carver clapped his shoulder in congratulations on his way, himself heading for bed. He was the most supportive of the team, having two mage sisters and all.

There were a few people in the showers, but nobody really paid attention to him, which was fine. His hands weren’t burned but were sore despite the heavy protective spell he’d used, and he hoped water would help to soothe them. He went to his locker and quickly undressed himself to go to the shower stalls, tower wrapped around himself with his grooming kit.

The shower helped to relieve some of the pain, but he definitely would need to rub some elfroot lotion on his skin later on. He was musing if he had any left, rubbing his hair with his towel, when he stepped in the lockers and almost walked straight into someone, if it wasn’t for large hands on his shoulders.

“Pavus.” Dorian tried his best not to gape at the almost naked sight of Cullen in front of him. By Andraste, the man was ripped, with a tapered waist and bulging muscles, his hands now itching for a very different reason.

“Yes?” He managed to say. He remembered he was completely naked himself and casually wrapped his towel around his waist, not missing the way Cullen’s eyes dragged down and up again, and was ge imagining things or his ears were turning red?

“What you did was reckless,” the captain snapped, making Dorian raise a brow as he turned his attention to more important matters.

“And pray tell me the reason of my presence here, if not to help to manage mages in panic?”

Cullen’s jaw worked, his eyes threatening. “The life of a mage is not above your teammates’. Time is key during an operation such as this, you can’t stop and talk down everyone from turning themselves into a flaming torch.”

Dorian’s nostrils flared, his hands turning to fists at his sides.

“I won’t let another mage die because there’s no adequate help provided for those in need. I am their only help at the moment, and I couldn’t let him immolate himself because he was heartbroken. You can’t ask that of me, especially when I’m aware of my abilities.”

“Are you quite done?”

“As a matter of fact, no, I am not. I was sent here all the way from Tevinter to help with the origins of magical fires, and it’s not by telling me to sod off while you silence and restrain the mages that it’ll change. There’s not even an appropriate therapy available for mages, and before you ask, yes, I checked and am in the process of creating one. I don’t know what happened to you to be this heartless towards my kind, but hate is never the answer.”

To say Cullen looked pissed was an euphemism.

“And you couldn’t start that therapy of yours after securing the building?”

“Being able to stop himself, knowing he still had that choice, was the first step. When you force their magic away, they begin to think there’s no other way to stop themselves, as if magic was a drug that needed to be restrained.”  
He could see Cullen’s anger deflate, his shoulders dropping before he walked around him, towards the showers.

“Fine.”

 

He was only working at the station three days a week, spending the rest working on establishing an appropriate therapy for mages in extreme discriminatory environment. He also had a first session with Kiliatus at the hospital, which seemed unfair to Dorian for him to be kept there, but he kept telling himself they had to go one step at a time.

The other firefighters were easing to him, most of them seeing him as more than just a mage. The only one keeping his distance had been Cullen, and it hurt, even if Carver had assured him he’d calm down at some point. It didn’t help that he was actually attracted to the man, staring more than was necessary at him at the gym, and that was with the Iron Bull’s clear interest in him. The Qunari hadn’t attempted anything yet except for the comments and allusions, at least, and Dorian didn’t know what to think of it.

Living with the firefighters wasn’t terrible, to be honest. He wasn’t obliged to participate in the others’ activities, but Vivienne felt like it was better to integrate himself, so he would help with the morning routine every day, learning the trucks’ parts and all the tools without him wanting to. Iron Bull was really nice to him and told him everything there was to know, Rylen telling him he could let him drive the truck one time if he wanted.

He was reading a book in the living room, Krem playing nearby some game that involved dying a lot and being cursed, when a pair of legs appeared in his vision. He looked up to see it was Cullen looming over him, for once not looking like he wanted to murder him.

“I’d like to talk to you, if you’re available,” he said with a neutral tone, glancing at his book. His hair wasn’t coated in gel today, curls messy and framing his forehead in an endearing way. Dorian blinked at this sudden civility.

“Of course.” He followed the captain out of the living room and towards his office, Krem making two thumbs up with a grin hen he shrugged at him.

Cullen took the time to close the door behind him, letting Dorian admire what little personal objects he had. There was a photo of people looking like him, which he assumed was his family, on the desk, alongside a sweet-smelling coffee. There was also a quite impressive library of books stacked neatly against a wall, which he found interesting.

“What can I do for you, Captain?” He asked as they sat down. Cullen linked his fingers together in front of him, looking at them as he seemed to gather his thoughts.

“I want to know what you do exactly with the mages.”

Dorian quirked a brow in surprise, but settled himself better in his chair. “Mages haven’t chosen to be born with those abilities, but they come with certain responsibilities and downsides many struggle to deal with. I’m a psychologist specialized in helping them, if you didn’t know already. I offer them a therapy adequate to their needs, to put it simply.”

“You already mentioned me why it was important for them to have the notion they can stop themselves from hurting other people.”

“Indeed. I’ve seen many cases of mages thinking they’re more or less monsters, incapable of controlling their magic. It’s often not because of their actual abilities, but a mental blokade. It’s the same thing happening for everyone, really, except mage’s hate is everywhere and helps no one.”

“So it’s easier for them to break down.”

“Not necessarily, it’s just that when it happens, their breaking down may have a lot more impact than a non-mage. Sometimes you can’t prevent it, but there’s ways to help other than violence. I’m here to assist on the field because I’m a mage, but it’s also a way for me to help right away so less people are injured and to prevent any aftereffects.”

Cullen nodded. “I have to admit I didn’t know what the reason of you being here was, but I’ve seen you operate. I want to apologize for the way I treated you at first.”

“I was beginning to think this was the Southerner’s way of greeting foreigners.”

Cullen chuckled, the tip of his ears turning red. “I hope for you that it is not. Just so you are aware, I am not a Templar anymore. I was for about ten years, then left the Order behind to become a firefighter. Old habits are hard to break, but I’ll try my best from now on.”  
Dorian gave him one of his dazzling smiles. “I’m glad then, Captain.”

“Call me Cullen, please.”

“Very well. Oh, what is this?” He picked up the book on Cullen’s chest. “One of Vivienne’s books?”

“Um, yes. I heard her name multiple times as being a mage voice and was wondering what her books treated about.”

“And you didn’t know she was my boss, of course.”

“Of course not.” The man’s cheeks were red from embarrassment, but there was a flicker of mischief in his eyes. There was more to him than anger and rudeness, Dorian was quickly realizing.

“My, Captain, are we having a civil conversation?”

“I believe we are. Don’t tell Bull however, he made a bet with Carver about you punching me.”

“And ruin a perfectly handsome face? I’d never do such thing.”

Cullen sputtered something, at a loss for words, and Dorian almost felt sorry for him. He raised to his feet.

“I’ll leave you to your reading. If you have other questions, I’m always available to answer them.” He couldn’t help but say with a bit of a flirtatious voice, and left before Cullen could muster a reply.

 

“How is it going, with the whole 'the captain hates me' thing?” Felix asked him a few days later.

“Surprisingly well, all things considered. He stays true to his word and doesn’t try to shoot lasers at me with his eyes anymore, so there’s that. I made a joke he laughed at, yesterday.”

“Improvement, I say. I wish I wasn’t stuck doing my Master, I’d come visit you. You’re living a wet dream come true.”

Dorian laughed. “I think you’re watching too many porn movies, Felix, everyone here are friendly with each other, but I assure you there’s no orgy happening.”

“Are you sure? Maybe you’re just not invited to them yet.” Felix was sending him a wicked smile, but his expression suddenly changed. “Ooh, who is this?”

Luckily Dorian had earphones in, so his small moan of approval wasn’t heard by Carver who had draped himself on the arm of the couch beside him, peaking down at his screen above his shoulder.

“Oh you’re Facetiming. I was wondering what was making you laugh this much.”

“That’s Felix, he’s my best friend from Tevinter.”

Carver smiled charmingly and waved at the screen. “Hi. I’m Carver, I’m a fireman extraordinaire.”

“You wish!” Krem and Rilen said loudly at the same time despite being focused on their video game.

“I’m glad to have such a nice view on his chest and arms,” Felix was muttering, his glasses sliding down on the bridge of his nose with all his leering.

“What is he saying?”

“That he’s glad to meet you.”

“Oh, same here. Well, I wouldn’t want to disturb your conversation.”

“Please stay,” Felix said, grinning, and Dorian ignored him.

“It’s no trouble.”

The alarm startled him and made him drop his phone. Carver retrieved it for him, but not before he gave a long dreamy stare at the screen.

“Gotta go, I guess,” he said before he was running out of the room. Dorian followed him, quickly telling goodbye to Felix before turning off his phone, promising to give him all the details later.

He was getting better at putting his gear, nobody had to help him this time. It helped also that he wasn’t staring at the other men suiting up and that he was instead focusing on that damn vest.

The fire had spread in a chantry despite the place being closed for the day. A criminal act that would complicate things and add paperwork for Dorian, he thought while he stared at the massive black smoke elevating in the sky.

“We don’t know if there’s anyone still inside,” Carver announced, looking down at his computer.

“Delrin, Dorian, with me. We’ll go take a look.”

The ceiling was really tall, the smoke stagnate high and making Dorian’s vision clearer. Wooden benches had been destroyed, the altar thrown on the floor, all visible signs of vandalism. The fire was roaring and cracking loudly, but used to it, the two firefighters were already making their way to the chapel while Dorian was still surveying the area. He could only hear his breathing and the beat of his heart, using them to calm himself. He kept telling himself that it was fine, but it was still a lot of fire. Despite going on multiple calls already, he wondered if he would ever get used to this.

“In here!” Delrin called, and Dorian hurried. Cullen and him were at a safe distance of a mage who had made an arc of fire in front of him. His blond hair was long and ragged, robes hanging on his frail body.

“Don’t come near me,” he was spitting in their direction, and Dorian raised up his arms.

“We’re here to help.”

“No, you’re not! I will not stand by and watch you treat all the mages like criminals.”

“So you plan on reducing all the chantries to ashes?” Cullen asked, careful of the fire surrounding them.

“If I must. There can be no peace.”

“Yes, there can be. I’m a mage just like you,” Dorian said with the most convincing voice he could muster.

“You won’t trick me.” The man lifted a hand and a lightning shot out of it, straight at Dorian’s head. He instinctively rose a barrier, the magic not as strong with his gloves in the way. He felt Delrin at his side get tense. He knew he had Templar abilities as well, but he hoped the two of them wouldn’t use them unless it came to a last solution.

“See? I’m a mage. My name is Dorian Pavus, most recently from Minrathous.”

The other mage hesitated. “You’re from Tevinter? How did you end up in this shithole?”

“I was sent to help mages like you, I’m not wearing such a pretty suit for fashion.”

“We have to get out of here,” Cullen shouted just as a pillar crumbled down, close to them. The floor probably wouldn’t last for long either.

“Come with us, let me help you. Not all mages are persecuted.”

“No!” Blue light appeared in lines on the man’s face and bare arms, as if his skin was cracking open, and his eyes were filled with the same light. “There can be no peace!”

“He’s an abomination!” Delrin took a step back.

Dorian removed his gloves and shoved them in his pocket.

“He’s not yet,” Cullen said, surprising Dorian. Who knew he’d ever hear the man defend a mage?

“I will not let you take him from me!” The mage pulled energy to him, almost like a vortex, then released it. It sent them flying backwards, and the force of them three broke the already weakened wall. Delrin landed directly in fire, and he rolled away quickly before Dorian propped himself on an elbow and directed his hand towards him to cast a spell he was well used to, killing the flames.

“Are you alright?” Cullen was crouching beside him and helping him on his feet, hazel eyes searching for injuries.

“I am, if you exclude my ego. Where did he go?”

“He’s gone, probably through that big hole in the wall. It’ll serve as a vacuum for the smoke, I suppose.”

The mage desperate enough to destroy a chantry, the very symbol of the Chantry, was gone. Dorian scoffed, annoyed, but mostly angry at himself. The feeling stayed even as he returned outside and they began to spray water. He was left grumbling to himself, seated in the truck. His part of the job was done, and he’d failed. There was nothing else he could do now.

He tried to play his chess game on his phone, but couldn’t even focus, then contemplated calling Felix, but the good man was probably asleep at this time. No, there had to be something on the man, a name or which Circle he’d gone to.

“Oh, you like playing chess?” Cullen asked as he climbed in the car, sitting beside him. He had removed his suit as well, smelling of smoke and delicious after-shave.

“I do, sometimes. I’m not the best at it, however.”

“I have a chess table in my office, you know. I mean, if you’d ever be interested to play a match or two with me, sometimes.”  
Dorian arched a brow, amused despite himself. The man was handsome with red on his cheeks. “I’ll keep it in mind.”

“So, um, how are you?” Cullen’s expression turned serious, and dare he admit he saw some concern in those pretty eyes?

Dorian shrugged, fighting the lump in his throat. “I could be better. I failed at the one job I had.”

“You didn’t fail,” Cullen replied, and placed his large hand on his thigh, gently squeezing. “You could try every way possible, you simply cannot help someone who does not want to be helped.”

Dorian was a bit distracted by the contact, but when Cullen meant to retract his hand, he took it in his and interlaced their fingers, a warm feeling spreading in his chest. “I suppose so. Do you know who it was?”

“Yes. His name is Anders, he’s a registered mage, but he keeps disappearing from the addresses he’s registered with.”

“Oh. Something happened?”

“Probably, but I don’t know what. I wasn’t here yet when it happened.”

“Mmm.”

Cullen gently bumped their shoulders together. “Stop overthinking it. You did well, you saved Barris.”

“Will you put a star on my report then?” Dorian asked, giving him a coy look.

Cullen barked a laugh, and then he was leaning over to kiss him, his lips still smiling.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm [Captain Amoruca](http://captain-amoruca.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr.


End file.
